05-05-2025
Ian Blackford: The SNP are not and never have been ethnic nationalists
Iain Macwhirter has often been a purveyor of the art of the distinguished commentator however, whilst often being a critic of the SNP, his column for the Times of May 5, let me be charitable, is a gross mischaracterisation of the SNP and its long history of civic nationalism.
I am proud that the SNP have sought to provide a vision of a prosperous and socially just Scotland for all those who choose to live here. Not an exclusive narrow nationalism but an inclusive civic nationalism which is also rooted in an internationalist perspective. Iain talks about the SNP seeking the restoration of national sovereignty. Whilst this is true it has been argued that we also recognise the limitations of national sovereignty and that to maximise the wellbeing of the citizens of Scotland, to give one example, such as EU membership, rightly that sovereignty is shared.
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What is at the core of the vision and indeed the ethos of the SNP is we have a rich society, and I mean that in the broadest sense, as well as benefiting from the rich diversity of Scotland.
I recall in the Paisley South by-election in 1997 often talking about 'it is not where you are from, it is where you are going', defining how the SNP saw the community of the realm of Scotland and the welcome we give to those who come here. The much missed Bashir Ahmad (below) often spoke of his experiences of coming to Scotland in his speeches. The term New Scots, was and is used to characterise those who had settled in Scotland and become part of Scotland's story.
Equally I would argue that the roots of that civic nationalism can be found in the writings of those who were part of the establishment of the SNP in 1934, visionaries such as Robert Bontine Cunningham Graham, John MacCormick and Sir Alexander MacEwen to name but three. These were not narrow nationalists, all three were internationalist. It is in this regard to read Iain Macwhirter stating that the SNP has benefitted from promoting ethnic nationalism has to be challenged. That has never been and never will be the ethos of the SNP.
Not only does the false claim of ethnic nationalism fail to stand up to scrutiny, but this is also followed up with the claim that the phrase 'I want my country back' is the essence of the SNP's mission statement. I struggle to find any evidence for such a claim. A party rooted in civic nationalism accepting the claim of right of the people can never be characterised in such a way. It is a democratic movement enshrined in the principle of putting power in the hands of the people.
We then have the accusation of seeking the repatriation of oil wealth. The past is the past and it would be fair to say the legacy of a bonanza in tax receipts from the bounty of North Sea oil has been squandered. It does allow pertinent questions to be put as to where is the legacy and to contrast the experience of Scotland with independent Norway, a country with a massive financial legacy from oil, high income levels and a more equal society. It was not narrow nationalism to argue that there had to be a financial legacy for Scotland, it was economic sense.
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Fifty years on from North Sea oil we face what should be the economic opportunities from the transition to green energy. An opportunity to take advantage from the scale opportunity not just to produce energy but to create a competitive advantage for a green industrial future. Driving in investment with the aim of creating job opportunities, driving wealth creation and as a result the resources and wherewithal to tackle the problems of too many people in our country being trapped in poverty.
That is the SNP that I am a member of seeking that wealthier, greener, fairer Scotland. That is not the SNP or the Scotland that Iain Macwhirter mischaracterised.
